Facebook is planning another major push into online video as The Wall Street Journal reports that the Menlo Park-based social media giant recently started asking for original video programming pitches. Facebook is reportedly interested in a handful of different genres including gaming, lifestyle, and science, sources with knowledge of the matter revealed. Furthermore, the company seems to be looking for recurring shows that would air once a week and feature episodes that are half an hour long or shorter, the report states.
Despite fishing for ideas spanning across a variety of genres, sources close to the company said that Facebook still isn’t interested in tackling news. This approach might not sit well with certain news organizations that have already committed significant resources to helping the company promote its push into live video. While Facebook’s insistence to avoid traditional news formats is in line with the company’s previous comments about how it’s not running a news platform, it’s still criticized by some individuals and organizations that have previously accused the social media giant of not doing enough to stop the online dissemination of fake news, adding how the firm’s refusal to invest into actual news is only highlighting the issue.
Regarding Facebook’s current endeavor, the Menlo Park-based company is allegedly offering “premium” rates for pitches it decides to finance, meaning Facebook is willing to pay six figures per individual episode of exclusive programming. Despite the firm’s willingness to commit more resources to video programming, its new offer still isn’t close to what platforms like Netflix and Amazon Video pay for its premium shows. Regardless, Facebook’s Ricky Van Veen is reportedly looking to make the most of the funds he has available. The founder of CollegeHumor allegedly started negotiating over potential exclusive programming back in December and is trying to persuade content creators to switch to Facebook by offering them a percentage of the platform’s ad revenue generated through their videos. The company’s video push will allegedly result in a “Spotlight” video tab that’s said to be added to the Facebook app in the near future. An update on the situation will likely follow by spring.